Questions inspired by reading a science popularisation book.

[Guest guest]

So I was reading:

" Mutants: On Genetic Variety and the Human Body " by Armand Marie Leroi, which is

a neat examination of mutation in humans, covering a lot of embryology and, to

some extent, senescence.

A few things he mentioned seemed CRON relevant, so I thought I'd ask the list

for opinions.

Antioxidants. Apparently experiments in genes to overexpress antioxidant

effects in fruit flies that had extended their lives, had had opposite effects

in mice. No antioxidant magic bullet.

CRON - he covered theories on reason for it (usual evolutionary survival

mechanism activation). Several things worth noting. He claimed genetic

experiments and calorie restriction experiments were activating the same genetic

sequences. Wasn't aware there had been that much progress in identifying

genetic basis for CRON. Also, he claimed the diet people were using to trigger

this mechanism involved 1000 calories a day (!) and massive amounts of vitamins

and minerals to counter the rigours of this stress. I thought people on the

list were recommending 1400-1600 a day for a male. Furthermore, supposedly this

resulted in infertility in mice - which apparently followed from the

evolutionary logic (keeping someone alive through the hard times so they could

reproduce later).

Finally, tangentially related to CRON. He also claimed that in mutations of

height in humans, and also with animal kingdom parallels, there was a clear

inverse correlation between height and longevity.

I was wondering if this might not have bearing on, say, the oft mentioned

Okinawan diet.